{"id":487633,"date":"2026-06-11T14:05:17","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T14:05:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/487633\/"},"modified":"2026-06-11T14:05:17","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T14:05:17","slug":"starting-5-knicks-complete-epic-comeback-in-game-4-go-up-3-1-in-finals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/487633\/","title":{"rendered":"Starting 5: Knicks complete epic comeback in Game 4, go up 3-1 in Finals"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Knicks came back from a 29-point deficit to defeat the Spurs, 107-106, in Game 4 of the NBA Finals to take a 3-1 series lead.<\/p>\n

A legendary comeback.<\/p>\n

An iconic putback.<\/p>\n

An unforgettable sports moment.<\/p>\n

In the largest rally in NBA Finals history, the Knicks turned a 29-point deficit into a victory that will never be forgotten \u2013 moving one win shy of an NBA title.<\/p>\n

\"OG<\/p>\n

5 STORIES IN TODAY\u2019S EDITION \ud83c\udfc0<\/p>\n

For The Ages: Anunoby\u2019s tip-in caps all-time rally at MSG as Knicks take 3-1 Finals lead<\/p>\n

Pure Bedlam: The basketball world can\u2019t believe what it just saw<\/p>\n

Never-Over Knicks: Inside New York\u2019s latest miracle at MSG, as told by the team<\/p>\n

Hand Of OG: Anunoby\u2019s block, tip-in, and two-way heroics lead Steve Aschburner\u2019s Game 4 takeaways<\/p>\n

Alvarado Answers: Knicks get unlikely boost from Alvarado in heat of 4th quarter<\/p>\n

BUT FIRST \u2026 \u23f0<\/p>\n

\"Game<\/p>\n

With New York up 3-1, the Finals shifts back to San Antonio for Game 5 on Saturday (8:30 ET, ABC<\/a>). Will the Knicks claim their first title since 1973, or will the Spurs force a Game 6?<\/p>\n

Game 3 of the Finals averaged 23.8 million viewers on ABC & ESPN, making it the most-watched Finals Game 3 in 28 years<\/a> (since Bulls-Jazz in 1998).<\/p>\n

1. INSTANT CLASSIC: KNICKS RALLY FROM 29 DOWN FOR 3-1 FINALS LEAD<\/p>\n

\"[<\/p>\n

For 24 minutes, the Spurs played one of the most dominant halves in NBA Finals history.<\/p>\n

For the next 24, the Knicks delivered a comeback the Finals had never seen before.<\/p>\n

A comeback basketball had never seen before.<\/p>\n

A comeback that will live in sports lore.<\/p>\n

Knicks 107, Spurs 106: Trailing by 29 early in the 3rd quarter, New York completed the largest comeback in Finals history, outscoring San Antonio 58-30 in the 2nd half, capped by OG Anunoby\u2019s game-winning tip-in with 1.2 seconds left<\/a> to give the Knicks a 3-1 Finals lead. | Recap<\/a> | Must-See Comeback<\/a><\/p>\n

Closing Heroes: Anunoby (33 pts, 7-9 3pm, 1 blk) and Brunson (36 pts, 5 reb, 7 ast, 3 stl) combined for 69 points, including 36 in the 2nd half, where they outscored the Spurs by themselves
\nOpening Heat: But before their legendary close in clutch time, the night started with an unprecedented Spurs avalanche \u2026<\/p>\n

\"Jalen<\/p>\n

Early Eruption: The Spurs dropped 41 points in the 1st quarter on six 3s. By halftime, they had drilled 14 triples \u2013 a Finals record for a half \u2013 for a 76-49 lead.<\/p>\n

All Cylinders: Victor Wembanyama (24 pts, 13 reb, 3 blk) had 16 points at the break, Devin Vassell (18 pts, 5 reb, 5 3s) was 5-of-5 from deep and seven different Spurs had made a 3
\nAll Spurs: Their 76 1st-half points were the 2nd-most in a Finals half in the play-by-play era, opening up a 27-point lead<\/p>\n

It was the 3rd-largest halftime lead in Finals history. No team in Playoff history had ever come back from such a halftime deficit, let alone the Finals.<\/p>\n

But San Antonio wasn\u2019t done. Its lead soon swelled to 29 with 9:40 left in the 3rd.<\/p>\n

It was 81-52.<\/p>\n

Madison Square Garden was stunned. The Spurs couldn\u2019t miss. The Knicks had no answers.<\/p>\n

But they didn\u2019t give up.<\/p>\n

A Glimmer: An Anunoby dunk, and triples from himself, Brunson and Josh Hart helped fuel a 13-0 burst
\nA Spark: The Knicks closed the quarter on a 23-9 run, capped by another Anunoby 3 to trim the lead to 15 entering the 4th
\nThe Garden Was Coming Alive: What felt impossible 30 minutes earlier suddenly felt within reach<\/p>\n

\"Victor<\/p>\n

But the Spurs pushed back.<\/p>\n

After trading buckets, Wembanyama put San Antonio up 95-75 with 9:33 left.<\/p>\n

Just when it felt like New York had life, it faced another mountain.<\/p>\n

Entering Wednesday, Playoff teams were just 4-733 when trailing by 20+ points in the 4th quarter in the play-by-play era.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a 0.5% win rate.<\/p>\n

And in the Finals, it had never been done.<\/p>\n

Forty-five teams had tried
\nForty-five teams had failed<\/p>\n

But these Knicks changed history.<\/p>\n

It Started With Rain: Jose Alvarado, Karl-Anthony Towns and Anunoby all hit 3s amid a 13-2 run, capped by a tough KAT bucket inside
\nMSG Was Back On Its Feet: Brunson came alive, scoring four straight points, and timely 3s from Anunoby and Alvarado had the Knicks within four (104-100)
\nIt Was A 22-7 Run: The comeback was suddenly back on, the Garden was deafening and Brunson wasn\u2019t done
\nWith 2:21 left, he pulled from deep, over the outstretched arms of Wembanyama \u2026
\n\u201cPUTS IT IN!\u201d exclaimed ABC\u2019s Mike Breen. \u201cOne-point game! This building is shaking right now<\/a>!\u201d
\nFifty-nine seconds later, the ball was back in Brunson\u2019s hands, and \u201cCaptain Clutch\u201d delivered again \u2013 dropping in a floater with 1:22 left to make it a 105-104 game<\/p>\n

\"Jalen<\/p>\n

For the first time, the Knicks were in front.<\/p>\n

But Stephon Castle didn\u2019t blink, hitting two free throws on the ensuing possession to put San Antonio back on top.<\/p>\n

Then came chaos.<\/p>\n

A loose-ball rebound sprung De\u2019Aaron Fox into the open floor for what looked like a game-sealing layup
\nBut Anunoby came flying in from behind, pinning the ball against the backboard before the Knicks recovered the ball and took a timeout with six seconds left<\/p>\n

New York had one more chance to pull off the impossible.<\/p>\n

Naturally, the ball found Brunson.<\/p>\n

He received the inbounds near midcourt, attacked into a quick double-team and launched a 31-footer
\nThe shot hit the front rim and bounced high into the air, hanging above a crowd of players gathered beneath the basket
\nAs players from both teams wrestled for rebound position, another white jersey came soaring in from the perimeter<\/p>\n

It was Anunoby.<\/p>\n

Sprinting in untouched, he flew through the crowd and stretched out his right arm, getting just enough of the ball to redirect it toward the rim.<\/p>\n

It dropped.<\/p>\n

Madison Square Garden erupted.<\/p>\n

\u201cIT\u2019S GOOD! IT\u2019S GOOD! IT\u2019S GOOD!\u201d exclaimed Mike Breen. \u201cBedlam here at the Garden \u2013 they can\u2019t believe it!\u201d | See The Winner From All Angles<\/a><\/p>\n

\"OG<\/p>\n

One stop later, the Knicks had done the impossible.<\/p>\n

A 29-point deficit had become a one-point win
\nA game that looked lost had become an all-time classic
\nA missed shot had become a legendary make
\nThe Knicks stood one win away from an NBA title<\/p>\n

\u201cUnbelievable,\u201d said Knicks coach Mike Brown postgame. \u201cThat has to be the most iconic shot in the history of New York basketball<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Said Jalen Brunson: \u201cThere\u2019s one word that captures that all \u2026 believe.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. HOOPS WORLD ERUPTS OVER ALL-TIME CLASSIC<\/p>\n

\"OG<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely stunning.\u201d \u2013 Mike Breen<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are paid to talk, and me and [Tim Legler] are over here speechless.\u201d \u2013 ABC\u2019s Richard Jefferson<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe what I just saw.\u201d \u2013 Charles Barkley<\/p>\n

As the Knicks stormed back from 29 down, disbelief spread far beyond Madison Square Garden.<\/p>\n

From celebrities courtside to NBA legends, current stars and fans worldwide, the hoops world erupted as New York pulled off the impossible.<\/p>\n

AJ\u2019s Angle: Player Correspondent and standout 2026 NBA Draft prospect AJ Dybantsa witnessed the finish live and could only sum it up in three words: \u201cOH. MY. GOD!<\/a>\u201c
\nEpicenter Of Madness: Witness what the largest comeback in Finals history felt like from the floor as our All-Access team joined the celebration seconds after the final buzzer<\/a>
\n\u2018Melo Approved: Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony found Brunson on the floor moments after the win, embracing New York\u2019s captain<\/a> after an unforgettable win<\/p>\n

\"Fans<\/p>\n

The disbelief wasn\u2019t limited to New York. Players, media members and fans from across the basketball world flooded social media with reactions to one of the wildest finishes in Finals history.<\/p>\n

Lonzo Ball (via X): \u201cThat was actually crazy\u201d
\nJa Morant (via X): \u201cwow \ud83e\udd2f\ud83d\udd25\u201d
\nJaylen Brown (via X): \u201cOG Anunoby is different\u201d
\nMax Kellerman (via X): \u201cThat was one of the greatest basketball games of all time\u201d
\nJared Weiss (via X): \u201cThe Knicks are a magical team. This is the pinnacle of sports.\u201d
\nJamal Crawford (via X): \u201cThe ICONIC Garden, just saw the greatest night it\u2019s ever had \u2026<\/p>\n

\"OG<\/p>\n

3. THE NEVER-SAY-NEVER KNICKS DID IT AGAIN. BUT HOW?<\/p>\n

\"Jalen<\/p>\n

Down by double-digits in each game of these Finals.<\/p>\n

Down by 27 points at halftime on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

In danger of seeing their once 2-0 series lead erased, the Knicks needed a shift.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe coaches didn\u2019t want to show any film to the guys,\u201d coach Mike Brown said of halftime. \u201cWe let them sit for a bit, talk amongst themselves \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLong time to play still. We\u2019ve got to get a little lucky. But let\u2019s do what we do, so we can make some of that luck happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

What these Knicks do is play fast, move the ball and mount some of the game\u2019s most massive comebacks.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the last thing that we said to them was: Let\u2019s cut it to around 15 to 17 going into the fourth, and if we do, we\u2019ll give ourselves a chance,\u201d said Brown<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because of this team\u2019s now-historic list of historic rallies:<\/p>\n

The 22-point comeback, across the 4th quarter and OT, in Game 1 of the East Finals against Cleveland on May 19
\nA pair of 20-point turnarounds in Games 1 & 2 of last year\u2019s East Semis, in Boston
\nErasing an 18-point gap in the 4th against the Rockets on Feb. 21
\nThe 17-point Christmas Day comeback, in the final frame, against Cleveland again<\/p>\n

\"New<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018We\u2019re fine. Stay with it, we\u2019re fine,\u2019\u201d OG Anunoby said of his halftime message. \u201cWe\u2019ve come back plenty of times when we\u2019re behind.\u201d<\/p>\n

Drawing on their confidence and a roadmap from that resum\u00e9 of rallies, the Knicks did exactly what Brown asked despite trailing 90-75 when the 4th began.<\/p>\n

The gap grew to 20 before the Knicks\u2019 turnaround really got rolling, resulting in the first Finals win of the play-by-play era by a team trailing by 20+ in the 4th
\nZoom Out: The Playoffs as a whole in that span (since 1998) have only seen five 20+ point 4th-quarter comebacks
\nSignature Stat: The Knicks have now claimed two of those five \u2013 in the last month \u2013 between Wednesday\u2019s stunner and Game 1 against Cleveland
\nOne & Ninety-Six: When down 17+ inside the final 9 minutes of regulation, teams had been 0-96 in the Finals since 1970-71. New York was down 95-78 with 8:59 remaining<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you do it once, you know you can do it again,\u201d Anunoby said. \u201cYou never want to be down, but that\u2019s how it goes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Jalen<\/p>\n

Also helping? \u201cCaptain Clutch.\u201d Brunson\u2019s game-high 9 4th-quarter points added to his postseason-leading 9.5 ppg in that frame
\n0-0 Mentality: New York\u2019s \u201cone-game-at-a-time\u201d approach kept the deficit in perspective. \u201cJust staying with it. Not getting too down or too low in the moment,\u201d Anunoby said
\nNature & Nurture: \u201cIn an 82-game season, especially in New York, there\u2019s going to be mountains and valleys,\u201d Josh Hart said \u2026 \u201cIf you lose three or four in a row, everybody is on the trade block \u2026 You try to stay even.\u201d
\nGarden Gratitude: \u201cWe have the best fans in the world,\u201d Anunoby said. \u201cWe all feel it. We all feed off of it. The energy is amazing and we love our fans.\u201d<\/p>\n

New York is showing no lead is safe, as the series shifts back to San Antonio for Game 5, with the Knicks a win away from the mountaintop.<\/p>\n

4. THE TWO-WAY HEROICS OF OG ANUNOBY: GAME 4\u2019S TAKEAWAYS<\/p>\n

\"OG<\/p>\n

From \u201cCaptain Clutch\u201d to OG, a stunning ending and a stunning start, NBA.com\u2019s Steve Aschburner delivers his four takeaways from Game 4.<\/p>\n

He begins where the Knicks\u2019 comeback did \u2013 at the wrong end of an 81-52 3rd-quarter score:<\/p>\n

\u201cThen the magic kicked in. The ghosts of New York\u2019s freshly ended 13-game playoff winning streak stirred. And \u2014 what do you know? \u2014 the home team finally won a game.<\/p>\n

The Knicks are up 3-1, one victory away from ending a 53-year NBA championship drought because they believed when so few others did.<\/p>\n

\u201cComing from 29 down \u2026 it gives you the confidence to know that, okay, hey, we are never out of a game,\u201d coach Mike Brown said.<\/p>\n

\u2026<\/p>\n

Brown began the evening talking pregame about OG Anunoby (\u201cHe\u2019s gotten better as the series has gone along. I think he can even reach a higher plateau\u201d).<\/p>\n

By the end of the night, New York\u2019s multi-tool of a player had rendered tens of thousands of people speechless \u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know if there was a play bigger than any other play in the history of Knicks basketball,\u201d Brown said of Anunoby. | Read More<\/a><\/p>\n

5. ALVARADO ANSWERS IN GAME 4\u2019S BIGGEST MOMENTS<\/p>\n

\"Jose<\/p>\n

In the Finals\u2019 largest comeback, the Knicks\u2019 smallest guard stood tall.<\/p>\n

No, not Brunson; the other 6-footer \u2014 Jose Alvarado.<\/p>\n

NBA.com\u2019s Jeff Zillgitt examines Alvarado\u2019s crucial Game 4 contributions, even after getting off to an unassuming start:<\/p>\n

\u201cBut in the fourth, Alvarado was as indispensable as Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart.<\/p>\n

Alvarado, who was born in Brooklyn and played high school basketball at Christ the King in Queens, was everywhere: scoring, rebounding, passing, defending, helping the Knicks pull off an improbable and stunning come-from-behind victory.<\/p>\n

Alvarado played nine minutes, 40 seconds in the fourth quarter and had eight points, three assists and two rebounds. The Knicks outscored the Spurs by 17 points with Alvarado on the court \u2026<\/p>\n

Knicks coach Mike Brown made sure he mentioned Alvarado in his opening statement in his postgame news conference.<\/p>\n

\u201cJose was unbelievable tonight,\u201d Brown said. \u201cHe changed the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alvarado said he was on the verge of tears when the final buzzer sounded. \u201cJust to be part of the journey is amazing,\u201d he said. | Read More<\/a><\/p>\n

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